THOMAS G. DUNCAN (ed.), A Companion to the Middle English Lyric. Pp. xxv + 302. Cambridge: D. S. Brewer, 2005. 50.00 (ISBN 1 84384 065 0).

Abstract

THIS volume maps the diverse body of Middle English lyric poetry in a way that will be valuable to the study of both medieval literature and the English lyric, the medieval roots of which are too often overlooked. Thomas G. Duncan's introduction establishes the importance and innovativeness of the Middle English lyric, which launched the lyric form in English literature along with the theme of romantic love. However, he also acknowledges the difficulties of the subject. Most Middle English lyrics are anonymous, and the haphazard nature of their transmission means that our record is far from complete, both facts that constitute barriers to students’ appreciation of the texts. This book renders the subject accessible, with its thorough surveys and up-to-date presentation of research in the area, particularly research into manuscript collections carried out over recent decades. Because so many lyrics are anonymous, manuscripts provide crucial contexts for reading and research. Julia Boffey gives a comprehensive introduction to the manuscripts and begins to explore difficult but essential questions concerning the lyrics’ functions and dissemination through different social groups. Boffey suggests that lyric ‘seems to have played a part in almost all forms of cultural production throughout the medieval period’ (18), which should give some idea of the magnitude of this volume's scope. Most of the essays integrate discussion of the manuscripts with their analyses, but this survey provides a vital starting place and is complemented by Duncan's discussion of the presentation of lyrics by modern editors.